Representing consulship
On the concept and meanings of the consular diptychs
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30549/opathrom-04-05Abstract
Although the consular diptych does not appear as a distinct category of art until the end of the Roman consulate’s thousand-year history (c. 400–541), it constitutes a primary example of the continuance of Roman honorific tradition, developing concurrently with the division and transformation of the Roman empire and the resurgence of the consulate as the most prestigious office on the cursus honorum. By analysing and interpreting the patterns of motif selection, compositional structure and representational mode in the consular diptychs, it is possible to trace the various contextual factors, cultural and historical, that contributed towards their conception, and to gain valuable insights into the precepts of the late antique ‘ideology of consulship’ that was transmitted through this new visual medium. The present article discusses the different layers of meaning within the consular imagery, conveyed through an increasing elaboration and regularization of form and content, from the basic theme of official apparatus and ceremonial to the more symbolic themes through which the ideal aspects and functions of the Late Antique consulate are expressed, notably the triumphal and regenerative powers figuratively invested in the consul, and the intimate link between these and the ideas of imperial victory and ‘Eternal Rome’.
Downloads
References
J. Arce, ‘Morte e apoteosi del principe’, in Aurea Roma. Dalla città pagana alla città cristiana, eds. S. Ensoli & E. La Rocca, Roma 2000, 244–248.
R.S. Bagnall, A. Cameron, S.R. Schwartz & K.A. Worp, Consuls of the later Roman Empire (Philological Monographs of the American Philological Association, 36), Atlanta 1987.
P.C. Berger, The insignia of the ‘Notitia Dignitatum’, New York & London 1981.
R. Brilliant, Gesture and rank in Roman art (Memoirs of the Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences, 14), New Haven 1963.
G. Bühl, Constantinopolis und Roma. Stadtpersonifikationen der Spätantike, Zürich 1995.
G. Bühl, ‘Eastern or western?—that is the question. Some notes on the new evidence considering the eastern origin of the Halberstadt diptych’, in Imperial art as Christian art—Christian art as imperial art. Expression and meaning in art and architecture from Constantine to Justinian (ActaAArtHist, 15), eds. J.R. Brandt & O. Steen, Roma 2001, 193–203. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5617/acta.5674
A.D.E. Cameron, ‘The house of Anastasius’, GRBS 19, 1978, 259–276.
A.D.E. Cameron, ‘Pagan ivories and consular diptychs’, in The Seventh Annual Byzantine Studies Conference. Abstracts of papers, Boston 1981, 54.
A.D.E. Cameron, ‘A new late antique ivory: the Fauvel panel’, AJA 88, 1984, 397–402. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/504564
A.D.E. Cameron, ‘Pagan ivories’, in Colloque genévois sur Symmaque à l’occasion du mille six centième anniversaire du conflit de l’autel de la Victoire, Genève 1984, ed. F. Paschoud, Paris 1986, 41–72.
A.D.E. Cameron, ‘Consular diptychs in their social context: new eastern evidence’, JRA 11, 1998, 384–403. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S1047759400017414
A.D.E. Cameron & D. Schauer, ‘The last consul: Basilius and his diptych’, JRS 72, 1982, 126–145. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/299119
A. Chastagnol, Le sénat romain sous le règne d’Odoacre. Recherches sur l’épigraphie du Colisée au Ve siècle, Bonn 1966.
C.L. Connor, The color of ivory. Polychromy on Byzantine ivories, Princeton, N.J. 1998.
C.L. Connor, ‘Color on late antique and Byzantine ivories: problems and challenges of conservation’, in Spätantike und byzantinische Elfenbeinbildwerke im Diskurs, eds. G. Bühl, A. Cutler & A. Effenberger, Wiesbaden 2008, 31–35.
C. Courtois, ‘Ex-consul. Observations sur l’histoire du consulat à l’époque byzantine’, Byzantion 19, 1949, 37–58.
L. Cracco Ruggini, ‘Apoteosi e politica senatoria nel IV s. d.C: il dittico dei Symmachi al British Museum’, RivStorIt 89, 1977, 425–489.
A. Cutler, ‘The making of Justinian’s diptychs’, Byzantion 54, 1984, 75–115.
A. Cutler, The hand of the master: craftsmanship, ivory, and society in Byzantium, Princeton, N.J. 1994.
A. Cutler, ‘Il linguaggio visivo dei dittici eburnei. Forma, funzione, produzione e ricezione’, in Eburnea diptycha: i dittici d’avorio tra antichità e medioevo, ed. M. David, Bari 2007, 131–161.
A. Degrassi, I fasti consolari dell’impero romano dal 30 avanti Cristo al 613 dopo Cristo, Roma 1952.
R. Delbrueck, Die Consulardiptychen und verwandte Denkmäler (Studien zur spätantiken Kunstgeschichte, 2), Berlin & Leipzig 1929.
R. Delmaire, Largesses sacrées et ‘res privata’. ‘L’aerarium’ impérial et son administration du IVe au VIe siècle (CÉFR, 121), Roma 1989.
A. Demandt, Die Spätantike. Römische Geschichte von Diocletian bis Justinian 284–565 n.Chr. (HAW, 3:6), München 1989.
M. Dewar, ‘Spinning the trabea: consular robes and propaganda in the panegyrics of Claudian’, in Roman dress and the fabrics of Roman culture, eds. J. Edmondson & E. Keith, Toronto 2008, 217–237. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3138/9781442689039-016
A. Eastmond, ‘Consular diptychs, rhetoric and the languages of art in sixthcentury Constantinople’, Art History 33:5, 2010, 742–765. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8365.2010.00780.x
J. Engemann, ‘Zur Anordnung von Inschriften und Bildern bei westlichen und östlichen Elfenbeindiptychen des vierten bis sechsten Jahrhunderts’, in Chartulae. Festschrift W. Speyer ( JAC, Erg.-Bd. 28), Münster 1998, 109–130.
J. Engemann, ‘Das spätantike Consulardiptychon in Halberstadt: westlich oder östlich?’, JAC 42, 1999, 158–168.
J. Engemann, ‘Die Spiele spätantiker Senatoren und Consuln, ihre Diptychen und ihre Geschenke’, in Spätantike und byzantinische Elfenbeinbildwerke im Diskurs, eds. G. Bühl, A. Cutler & A. Effenberger, Wiesbaden 2008, 53–96.
C. Formis, ‘Il dittico eburneo della cattedrale di Novara’, CistMilano 1, 1967, 171–191.
H. Gabelmann, Antike Audienz- und Tribunalszenen, Darmstadt 1984.
H. Graeven, ‘Entstellte Consulardiptychen’, RM 7, 1892, 204–221.
R. Guilland, ‘Études sur l’histoire administrative de l’empire byzantin. Le consul, ὁ ὕπατος’, Byzantion 24, 1954, 545–578.
C. Heucke, Circus und Hippodrom als politischer Raum. Untersuchungen zum grossen Hippodrom von Konstantinopel und zu entsprechenden Anlagen in spätantiken Kaiserresidenzen (Altertumswissenschaftliche Texte und Studien, 28), Hildesheim 1994.
L. James, Light and colour in Byzantine art, Oxford 1996.
B. Kiilerich, Late fourth century classicism in the plastic arts. Studies in the so-called Theodosian renaissance (Odense University Classical Studies, 18), Odense 1993.
B. Kiilerich, ‘Representing an emperor: style and meaning on the missorium of Theodosius I’, in El disco de Teodosio, eds. M. Almagro-Gorbea, J.M. Álvarez Martínez, J.M. Blázquez Martínez & S. Rovira, Madrid 2000, 273–280.
B. Kiilerich & H. Torp, ‘Hic est: hic est Stilicho. The date and interpretation of a notable diptych’, JdI 104, 1989, 319–371.
B. Kleer, ‘Roma auf Kontorniaten’, in Spätantike und frühes Christentum. Ausstellung im Liebighaus, Museum alter Plastik, Frankfurt am Main, 16. Dezember bis 11. März 1984, ed. F. Gerke, Frankfurt am Main 1984, 70–74.
H. Kruse, Studien zur offiziellen Geltung des Kaiserbildes im römischen Reiche (Studien zur Geschichte und Kultur des Altertums, 19:3), Paderborn 1934.
E. Künzl, Der römische Triumph. Siegesfeiern im antiken Rom, München 1988.
H.P. L’Orange, ‘Sol invictus imperator. Ein Beitrag zur Apotheose’, in Likeness and icon: selected studies in classical and mediaeval art, Odense 1973.
W. Lütkenhaus, Constantius III. Studien zur seiner Tätigkeit und Stellung im Westreich 411–421, Bonn 1998.
S.G. MacCormack, ‘Roma, Constantinopolis, the emperor, and his genius’, CQ 25, 1975, 131–150. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0009838800032961
J.R. Martindale, ed., The prosopography of the later Roman Empire, II. A.D. 395–527, Cambridge 1980–1992.
J.R. Martindale, ed., The prosopography of the later Roman Empire, III. A.D. 527–641, Cambridge 1980–1992.
M. McCormick, Eternal victory: triumphal rulership in late antiquity, Byzantium, and the early mediaeval west, Cambridge 1986.
R. Mellor, ‘The goddess Roma’, in ANRW 2.17:2, Berlin 1981, 950–1030.
M. Meslin, La fête des kalends de janvier dans l’empire romain (CollLatomus, 115), Bruxelles 1970.
C. Olovsdotter, The consular image. An iconological study of the consular diptychs (BAR-IS, 1376), Oxford 2005. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30861/9781841717050
C. Olovsdotter, ‘45. Konsulardiptychon’, 2008 in Der heilige Schatz im Dom zu Halberstadt, eds. H. Meller, I. Mundt & B.E.H. Schmul, Regensburg 2008, 164–165.
K. Painter, ‘The silver dish of Ardabur Aspar’, in Papers of the fourth conference of Italian archaeology 2: The archaeology of power, University of London, January 1990, London 1991, 73–80.
E. Ravegnani, Consoli e dittici consolari nella tarda antichità, Roma 2006.
M. Restle, ‘Herrschaftszeichen’, in RAC 14, 1988, 937–966.
J.W. Salomonson, Chair, sceptre and wreath. Historical aspects of their representations on some Roman sepulchral monuments (diss.), Amsterdam 1956.
M.R. Salzman, On Roman time: the Codex-calendar of 354 and the rhythms of urban life in late antiquity, Berkeley & Los Angeles 1990.
T. Schäfer, Imperii insignia. Sella curulis und fasces (RM-EH, 29), München 1989.
K.J. Shelton, ‘Imperial Tyches’, Gesta 18, 1979, 27–38. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/766787
K.J. Shelton, ‘The diptych of the young office holder’, JAC 25, 1982, 132–171.
K.J. Shelton, ‘Roman aristocrats, Christian commissioners: the Carrand diptych’, in Tradition and innovation in late antiquity, eds. F.M. Clover & R.S. Humphreys, Madison & London 1989, 105–127.
H. Stern, Le calendrier de 354. Étude sur son texte et sur ses illustrations (BAHBeyrouth, 55), Paris 1953.
J.M.C. Toynbee, ‘Roma and Constantinopolis in late-antique art from 365 to Justin’, in Studies presented to David Moore Robinson on his seventieth birthday 2, Saint Louis 1953, 261–277.
C.C. Vermeule, The goddess Roma in the art of the Roman empire, Cambridge, Mass. 1959.
H.S. Versnel, Triumphus. An inquiry into the origin, development and meaning of the Roman triumph, Leiden 1970. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1163/9789004674738
W.F. Volbach, Elfenbeinarbeiten der Spätantike und des frühen Mittelalters, Mainz 19763.
E. Weigand, ‘Ein bisher verkanntes Diptychon Symmachorum’, JdI 52, 1937, 123–138.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2011 Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome, and the authors.Volumes 16–18 (2023–2025): All text is published with immediate open access under the Creative Commons license CC BY 4.0. All images are used with permission from the rights holders, credited in the captions, and explicitly excluded from the CC BY license.
Copyright: Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome, and the authors.
Volumes 1–15 (2008–2022): These issues were made openly available as PDFs six months after the printed edition was published. No Creative Commons license applies to these volumes.
Copyright: Swedish Institutes at Athens and Rome, and the authors.
